67. Jesus Teaches His Friends to Pray

Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:1-13

Jesus was praying. When he finished, one of his disciples asked him, “Please teach us to pray.”

Jesus answered, “When you pray, say:

Please make your kingdom grow.

Please cause your plans to happen on earth, just as they do in heaven.

Please give us what you know we need today.

Please forgive us for the ways we have not loved you and not loved other people. We will forgive people who are unkind to us.

Please help us obey you when we feel like doing what is wrong.’”

Then Jesus said, “If a child asks their daddy for a fish to eat, he would never give them a snake instead! Daddies should give good things to their children. Well, because you live with me as your king, God is your Father in heaven. He is even better at giving good gifts to his children than daddies on earth are. He will even give you his Holy Spirit!”

68. The Good Shepherd

Luke 15:3-7; John 10:1-15

Jesus told a story to show how much God loves his people:

“A shepherd had a hundred sheep. But one of them got lost. So the shepherd left the rest of his sheep and went looking for his lost one.

“He searched and searched until… he found it! He was so happy!

“He put the sheep on his shoulders and took it home. Then the shepherd called his friends and said, ‘I have found my lost sheep! Come and have a party with me!’

“Sometimes, someone who has not been loving God or trying to obey God admits that they have been living in the wrong way. So they start living with God in charge and they ask God to forgive them. Whenever someone does that, God has a party in heaven.”

Another time, Jesus said to his friends, “I am like a shepherd and my people are like my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice and obey me. I care for my sheep and I lead my sheep. I love my sheep so much that I will even die to make them safe. I am the good shepherd.”